Expression and purification of antimicrobial peptide buforin IIb in Escherichia coli

A novel production method in Escherichia coli for an antimicrobial peptide of 21 amino acids, buforin IIb, which is a synthetic analog of buforin II, has been developed. The buforin IIb gene was cloned into the vector pET32a to construct an expression vector pET32a–buforin IIb. The fusion protein Trx-buforin IIb, purified by nickel nitrilo-triacetic acid (Ni-NTA) resin chromatography, was cleaved by hydroxylamine hydrochloride to release recombinant buforin IIb. Purification of recombinant buforin IIb was achieved by HPLC: about 3.1 mg/l active recombinant buforin IIb with purity >99% was obtained. The recombinant buforin IIb showed antimicrobial activities that were similar to the synthetic one.